Invoice container



May 11, 1943. A HQPK|N$ 2,318,997.

INVOICE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 26, 1941 Qfred/ Patenteel May 11, 1943 INVOICE CONTAINER 7 Alfred 5. Hopkins, Chicago, 'Ill., assignor-to-Gaw- OHara'Envelope 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 26, 1941, Serial No. 380,597

1 Claim.

This invention relates to shipping or mailing containers of the general character known as duplex envelopes, and aims to provide a flat, tubular container adapted for the reception of an invoice or the like which is to accompany the object or material to be shipped or mailed, and which container is secured to and carried by the envelope or package containing th merchandise to which the invoice relates.

While I am aware that small envelopes adapted to contain first-class mail matter have heretofore been attached to the faces of larger envelopes adapted to contain second-class mail matter, such envelope assemblies have proven to be unsatisfactory in use because of the liability of th first-class envelope to be torn from the second-class envelope in transit. This liability of separation of the envelopes, one from the other, is caused by the thickness of the first-class envelope which projects an appreciable distance outwardly from the larger envelope to which it is attached so that the corners of the small envelope are apt to become caught on other envelopes or packages, with the result that such small envelope is torn loose.

My present invention obviates this difficulty by providing a single thickness attachment for the small envelope consisting of single thickness flaps projecting from the body portion of the envelope or container, which flaps lie fiat against the surface of the envelope or package to which the container is attached and serve to hold it in place.

I am also aware that end flaps for this purpose have also been previously employed, but only in conjunction with envelopes or containers open at the side for the reception of the invoice or other mailing matter, the opening through which such matter is introduced into the container being then closed by a closure flap which seals the container.

My present invention aims to reduce the cost of manufacture of the container and to reduce the labor involved in sealing the container and attaching it to an envelope or package, by providing a container which is open at the end only, and which, after the invoice or other mailing matter has been introduced into the container through the open end, is securely attached to an envelope or package and simultaneously sealed by means of the end flap which serves the dual purpose of attaching the open end of the container and of sealing the same.

An understanding of my invention will be best appreciated from a consideration of the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my novel container applied to the face .of a larger envelope;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of i Fig. .3 is a sectional view on the line 3'3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a face view of a blank from which the container of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, is formed;

Fig. 5 is .a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a, modified form of the invention; .and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to View Fig. 4 of the blank from which the container of Fig. 5 is formed.

On th drawing, reference character 7 indicatesan envelope suitable for. the mailing or seeond-class mail matter, to the face of which my improved invoice envelope, indicated generally by reference character 8, is shown as attached. It will be understood that the envelope 1 is merely typical of any envelope or package in which merchandise may be mailed or shipped, and the character of such envelope or package is of no moment.

My improved invoice envelope is formed from a single sheet of fibrous material, such as paper or other suitable material cut to the shape illustrated in Fig. 4 and folded on the lines 9 and I I, so that the flaps I2 and I3 overlap and form the rear wall of the container, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The flap I3 is gummed along its overlapping edge, as indicated at M, so that when lapped over the flap I2, it may be secured thereto forming a longitudinal seam along the back wall of the container. The front wall l5 of the container may be imperforate or preferably provided with a transparent window 16 through which the name and address appearing on the invoice or other mailing matter introduced into the container may be observed.

When the flaps I2 and [3 are overlapped and secured together, the resultant structure is a hat tube open at both ends, but otherwise closed so that the invoice or other mailing matter is introduced through one or the other of the open ends. For purposes of attachment of the invoice container to the face of a larger envelope or package, the outside face of the rear wall formed by flaps l2 and I3 is partially, or preferably wholly, coated with gum or other suitable adhesive adapted to adhere the invoice container to such surface.

Each end of the front wall of the tube is extended to provide projecting end flaps H and 18 extending beyond the confines of the tubular container. The rear faces of these flaps are also gummed, as indicated at H! and 2|, for attachment to the face of the envelope 1 by moistening the gummed flaps and pressing them against the face of the envelope. When thus secured to the envelope, the end flaps serve not only as a means of attachment of the ends of the container to the envelope, but also close and seal the ends of the container, as will be apparent from Fig. 3. With this type of container open at both ends, the invoice or other mailing matter may be inserted into the container from either end before the container is attached to the envelope, or one end may be attached to the envelope before the container is loaded.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the same form of blank is employed and the tubular container is formed in the same manner as previously explained. In this instance, however, the gum applied to one of the end flaps is extended inwardly on the rear face of the front wall [5 within the confines of the rear wall formed by flaps l2 and I3, as indicated by reference character 22. If preferred, however, the end margins of flaps l2 and I3 may be gummed instead of applying the gum to the rear face of the front wall I5. In either instance, when the flaps l2 and I3 are folded into overlapped position to form the rear wall of the container, one end of this wall is secured by the gum to the rear face of the front wall, thereby closing one end of the container.

With this form of container, the invoice may be inserted through the open end of the container before attachment of the container to the envelope or package, or, if preferred, the closed end of the container may be first attached to the envelope and the invoice later inserted through the open end, which may be expanded into the position shown in Fig. 5 for the ready reception of the invoice. In many instances not only the end flap 18 but also the entire rear wall of the container will be gummed to the envelope or package before the invoice is inserted into the container through the open end. In either event, after the invoice is inserted, the open end is closed and sealed by the attachment of the flap l! to the face of the envelope in the manner previously ex- I plained.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that I have provided an invoice container which can be cheaply manufactured, as it eliminates all side openings and flaps for the introduction of the invoice and which can be cheaply applied to the envelope or package because the labor of closing a side sealing flap is entirely eliminated.

The scope of my invention including permissible variations in structural details is defined in the following claim.

I claim:

An invoice container whereby an invoice may be attached to an envelope or the like containing the product invoiced, which comprises a sheet of fibrous material folded into tubular form and flattened to provide a panel-like front wall, and a back wall comprising overlapping flaps secured together, the opposite ends of said flat tubular container being open for the insertion of an invoice thereinto from either end, said front wall being provided at the ends thereof with coextensive longitudinal projecting extensions, the rear faces of said extensions being gummed, whereby said extensions may be secured flatly against the surface of an envelope or the like to thereby attach the container thereto and simultaneously seal the same against displacement of the invoice therefrom.

ALFRED J. HOPKINS. 

